diff --git a/lib/OpenLayers/Request.js b/lib/OpenLayers/Request.js
index 59ca6c2401..6a72d2bb75 100644
--- a/lib/OpenLayers/Request.js
+++ b/lib/OpenLayers/Request.js
@@ -125,14 +125,8 @@ OpenLayers.Request = {
 
         // create request, open, and set headers
         var request = new OpenLayers.Request.XMLHttpRequest();
-        var url = config.url;
-        if(config.params) {
-            var paramString = OpenLayers.Util.getParameterString(config.params);
-            if(paramString.length > 0) {
-                var separator = (url.indexOf('?') > -1) ? '&' : '?';
-                url += separator + paramString;
-            }
-        }
+        var url = OpenLayers.Util.urlAppend(config.url, 
+            OpenLayers.Util.getParameterString(config.params));
         var sameOrigin = !(url.indexOf("http") == 0);
         var urlParts = !sameOrigin && url.match(this.URL_SPLIT_REGEX);
         if (urlParts) {
diff --git a/tests/Request.html b/tests/Request.html
index 20e7a7579f..f4db5fdcfe 100644
--- a/tests/Request.html
+++ b/tests/Request.html
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
     function test_issue(t) {
         setup();
 
-        t.plan(21);
+        t.plan(22);
         var request, config;
         var proto = OpenLayers.Request.XMLHttpRequest.prototype;
         var issue = OpenLayers.Function.bind(OpenLayers.Request.issue,
@@ -81,7 +81,18 @@
             t.eq(url, config.url + "&foo=bar", "existing query string gets extended with &");
         }
         request = issue(config);
-
+        
+        // test that query string doesn't get ? followed by &
+        config = {
+            method: "GET",
+            url: "http://example.com/service?",
+            params: {"foo": "bar"}
+        };
+        proto.open = function(method, url, async, user, password) {
+            t.eq(url, config.url + "foo=bar", "existing query string ending with ? gets extended without &");
+        }
+        request = issue(config);
+        
         // reset open method
         proto.open = _open;